How to hire a research associate

How to hire a research associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step research associate hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a research associate job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new research associate
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a research associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The research associate hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A research associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, research associates from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of research associates and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Research Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Research Associate	A Research Associate plans, organizes, and conducts research in scientific, cultural, historical, or artistic. They conduct literature, collect and analyze data, and recruit and/or interview new people.	$19-41
   Scientist	A scientist is responsible for researching and analyzing the nature and complexities of the physical world to identify discoveries that would improve people's lives and ignite scientific knowledge for society. Scientists' duties differ in their different areas of expertise, but all of them must have a broad comprehension of scientific disciplines and methods to support their experiments and investigations... Show more	$32-67
   Laboratory Researcher	Laboratory researchers are professionals who manage a research laboratory while performing cellular and biochemical experiments with the primary researcher. These researchers must work with hazardous chemicals and should show expertise in handling lab equipment such as glassware and field equipment... Show more	$8-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Research Projects
   • Data Analysis
   • Data Collection
   • Cell Culture
   • Chemistry
   • Laboratory Equipment
   • Lab Equipment
   • RNA
   • Python
   • PowerPoint
   • Flow Cytometry
   • Analyze Data
   • Excellent Interpersonal

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Study utilize online survey tools and data are managed and analyze using SPSS.
   • Manage databases, analyze data in STATA, and summarize relevant findings for partners.
   • Lead diverse research teams in the development of PCR and reverse transcriptase PCR assays for various food-borne pathogens.
   • Process, analyze and upload HTS data that lead to the discovery of new structural classes of small molecules.
   • Manage outsource projects, and interact with vendors for API sourcing, and device components base on project needs.
   • Manage all aspects of HPLC method development and analysis through interpretation of data ensuring accuracy of results.

   More research associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your research associate job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A research associate salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a research associate in South Dakota may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level research associate usually earns less than a senior-level research associate. Additionally, a research associate with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average research associate salary

   $60,166yearly

   $28.93 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level research associate salary

   $41,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 26, 2025

   Average research associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$72,205	$35
   2	New Jersey	$69,764	$34
   3	District of Columbia	$68,100	$33
   4	Delaware	$65,978	$32
   5	California	$63,461	$31
   6	Georgia	$61,616	$30
   7	Illinois	$61,394	$30
   8	New York	$60,288	$29
   9	Oregon	$59,206	$28
   10	North Carolina	$58,561	$28
   11	Florida	$57,821	$28
   12	Maryland	$57,794	$28
   13	Pennsylvania	$56,868	$27
   14	Minnesota	$56,168	$27
   15	Washington	$54,420	$26
   16	Virginia	$52,805	$25
   17	Maine	$52,730	$25
   18	Louisiana	$52,633	$25
   19	Ohio	$52,279	$25
   20	Colorado	$52,162	$25

   Average research associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Citadel	$121,378	$58.35	9
   2	Urban Institute	$116,707	$56.11	3
   3	Putnam Investments	$114,559	$55.08
   4	Edelman Financial Engines	$114,270	$54.94
   5	BMO Capital Markets	$113,274	$54.46
   6	Google	$113,097	$54.37	149
   7	Neuberger Berman	$111,652	$53.68	3
   8	Pacific Investment Management Company LLC	$111,228	$53.48	10
   9	PDT Partners	$110,078	$52.92	5
   10	Sentinel Benefits	$109,950	$52.86
   11	Wedbush Securities	$109,663	$52.72
   12	AQR Capital Management	$109,174	$52.49	1
   13	Dodge & Cox	$108,344	$52.09	1
   14	Microsoft	$107,647	$51.75	295
   15	Cowen	$107,255	$51.56
   16	International Center for Research on Women	$107,034	$51.46
   17	Coatue Management	$106,671	$51.28
   18	William Blair	$106,348	$51.13	6
   19	Sterne Agee & Leach Inc	$106,201	$51.06
   20	Royal Bank of Canada	$105,811	$50.87	3

4. Writing a research associate job description

   A research associate job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a research associate job description:

   Research associate job description example

   The primary purpose of the Research Associate III (Data Analyst) position is to provide data management and programming support to fulfill the needs of faculty conducting cancer epidemiology and health services research. This position reports to the Chief of Cancer Epidemiology and Health Outcomes Section.
   Among the key duties of this position are the following:
   Support data cleaning, management and analyses for investigators conducting epidemiological and related research. Generates preliminary analyses for grant submissions, as directed by PI. Writes statistical code, documents steps for variable creation and analysis, and prepares tables and figures for presentations, manuscripts and grant submissions according to the analytical plan developed by the corresponding PI. Develops and maintains databases, syntax, and data dictionaries for research projects. Attends and contributes to study team meetings to provide updates on data-related tasks and flag issues with ongoing data collection or analysis. As directed, communicates with primary data collection staff to resolve discrepancies in recorded data
   
   Minimum Education and Experience
   
   Master's Degree in a relevant science plus one (1) year of related research experience, or a Bachelor's Degree in a relevant science plus two (2) years of related research experience. Relevant experience may include conducting statistical analyses for varied research projects, including randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, and using large population-based datasets.
   
   Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
   
   Demonstrated strong written and verbal communication skills. Must be computer literate with proficiency and working knowledge of database and reporting tools such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint. Proficiency and knowledge of standard statistical software packages, including SAS , R, or STATA . A strong willingness to learn more. Strong attention to detail.
   
   Overview
   
   Our vision is to be a statewide, national and world leader of scientific discovery, transdisciplinary engagement, translation, patient care and education that improves outcomes for cancer patients and populations.
   
   We will accomplish this by conducting innovative basic, clinical and population research and cutting-edge patient-centered care that expands our understanding of the etiology and biology of cancer; facilitates the rapid translation of laboratory-based discoveries into human studies; develops new approaches and interventions for cancer prevention that decrease cancer incidence and mortality; and develops new and better therapies to decrease suffering and mortality from cancer.
   
   Curiosity and Discovery, Integrity, Collaboration, Respect and Caring, Perseverance.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right research associate for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with research associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit research associates who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your research associate job on Zippia to find and recruit research associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with research associate candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new research associate

   Once you've found the research associate candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new research associate first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a research associate?